Change in Armagh Championship format

December 9, 2013

Armagh have decided for the first time to change their Championship format from straight knock-out to the introduction of a “Second chance” or” Back-Door” system for all three Senior grades of football. The St Michael’s, Newtownhamilton proposal was passed at the County Convention last week and is outlined later in the article. While many will see this as rubber stamping Crossmaglen Rangers stranglehold on the Senior Championship it is the overall picture and the impact the new format will have for all Championship clubs that is the issue.

People will say that you are giving the dominant force a second bite of the cherry, equally it can be argued that the team who draws Crossmaglen in the first round will know that their Championship campaign does not end if they lose. Clubs obviously felt the need for change and ultimately it is all not about Crossmaglen as a “bad day at the office” after months of training gives teams the opportunity to get things right at the second time of asking.

*Where there are less than 16 teams in any Championship the following shall apply:-

Teams who are given a bye in Championship Round 1 will join the winners of that Round in Championship Round 2.

*Where there are more than 16 teams in any Championship the following shall apply:-

A number of teams shall be drawn to play each other in a

Championship Preliminary Round.

Winning team(s) gain entry to 1st Round of Championship

Losing team(s) shall be drawn to play losing team(s) of the 1st Round of Championship losing teams (not their Preliminary opponents) in a Qualifier Preliminary Round with winners gaining entry to Round 1 of Qualifiers.